Naked
by Kinz
Summary: Based on Avril Lavigne's song.NOT A SONGFIC! A 16-year-old comes to Hogwarts and eventually finds a kindred spirit in a very special person :) Much better than what it sounds like. Please read & review!
1. The Night Before

A/N: This story just came to me while listening to Avril Lavigne's CD, "Let Go" in the car. It's based on the song "Naked". And I need your opinions on something. What is too 'dark' for a PG-13 rated story? Is suicidal stuff too 'dark'? I've seen lots of stuff like that in other FanFics, but my friends says it's too 'dark' (I can't think of another word to describe it) Please tell me, I don't want to have inappropriate stuff in my story!

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"Mi, I can't do this!" 16-year-old Alexandria cried over the phone to her best friend. "You know how shy I am. Before my parents decided to move, I always had you with me at the start of school. Now I'm all alone. I'm never going to make any friends, and everyone is going to think I'm just a know-it-all!" Alex wailed, her words getting progressively faster and closer to tears, or so it sounded to Miana, Alex's best friend.

"Alex, calm down before you work yourself in hysterics! Remember what happened last time?" Miana said warningly, praying that the reminder would work. Last time was pure hell for both of them. Alex slowly started calming down, judging from the breaths Mi could hear over the phone. Mi breathed a sigh of relief. "You'll be fine, Alex. I promise. And you're not a know-it-all, no matter what they say. You're you, you're Alexandra Mauro, and Alex Mauro doesn't care what people say! Plus, you are my best friend. Do you think this'll be easy for me? I've walked into the school with you every year since kindergarten. But I'm all alone this year."

"Well, at least you are outgoing. And everybody knows and likes you. I don't know anybody!" Alex complained.

"You'll make friends, I know you will. Now, we'd better hang up and get ready for school. Call me tomorrow, okay?" Mi said.

"Fine." Alex said grudingly, "Bye!" The 5'6" blond hung up the phone and sprawled on her bed. She looked at the stuff on her dresser. A cauldron. Lots of books. Robes. Dragonhide gloves. But, most importantly, a wand. 11 inches, willow, unicorn hair, excellent for charms. Or so the strange man at Ollivander's had said. She hoped everyone in the wizarding world wouldn't be so… strange was the only way to describe it.

"Alex, it's almost midnight. We need to go to King's Cross Station tomorrow at 10:30, the train leaves at 11. Go to bed," her mom said, sticking her head into the room. Alex sighed and got on her pajamas. They were old and warn, but very warm. Then she climbed into bed and fell into a sleep that was continuously punctured by dreams about the wizarding world. 

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A/N: Sorry that chapter was so short. I promise I'll update *really* soon, I'm already writing the next chapter. Sometime soon we find out why Alex is going to Hogwarts for the first time when she's 16, and other things. I don't have a beta reader, I don't want my beta from my other story to do this story too, I've got to surprise her sometime! If you want to beta, email me at sunmono12790@yahoo.com and I'll get back to you! And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!


	2. The Morning, the Platform, and the Train

A/N: OK, this chapter is dedicated to my one and only reviewer, Sallymander. And thank you for your praise. People, if you're reading it, please please please review!!! Thanks and enjoy the story! And this chapter has some swears in it, hope you don't mind as the FanFic is rated PG-13.

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The next morning, Alex woke up at 10:00.

_Damn! How could I sleep in this late? I still have to pack!_ Alex thought frantically, looking at the clock on her nightstand. She jumped out of bed, picked out her clothes from her dresser, a purple peasant shirt and black capri's, and threw them on. She darted to the bathroom and brushed her hair and teeth. She also pulled her mid-back length hair into a ponytail. Then she practically flew back to her room, running into her mom. 

"Whoa Alex, slow down! There's still time until we have to leave! Why don't you pack and then come down for some breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all," Alex's mum said.

"But Mom, I just brushed my teeth!" Alex whined.

"Since when has that ever stopped you from eating? Speaking of dentistry, did you know that your dentist has a daughter about your age?" Mrs. Mauro said with a smile.

"Really? How'd you find that out?" Alex asked. "But I'd bet you she doesn't go to this school so I'll probably never see her."

"Well, you never know, do you? After all, Miana doesn't know that you're a witch. We got the letter 5 years ago and she still doesn't know. She thinks we've moved because I got a job opportunity here. So if your best friend doesn't know, it's not likely that you'd know if Dr. Granger's daughter goes to Hogwarts. Now hurry up and pack!" Mrs. Mauro explained.

Alex went back to her room and hurriedly threw things into her trunk. She finished in five minutes and sat on it to make it close. Then she lugged it downstairs.

"What's for breakfast?" she asked.

"What would you like?" her mother answered.

"Ummm… toast and scrambled eggs, please," she replied.

While Alex's mother was busy making Alex's breakfast, Alex paged through a magazine that was on the table. 

"Wish I could look like that…" muttered Alex under her breath, looking at a picture of a model for bikinis.

"What's that?" her mother asked, setting a steaming plate in front of her daughter.

"Nothing," Alex answered, putting the magazine aside and digging in to breakfast. "Mmmm, this is good." she commented.

"Thanks," Mrs. Mauro said. "Now hurry up and put your luggage in the car, it's time to go."

"'K mom," Alex mumbled, her mouth stuffed with scrambled egg. She shoved the last bit of toast in her mouth and swallowed a couple of times. Her mother watched in amazement.

"How can you eat like that?" she asked.

"Must be a teenage thing, everyone I know does it," answered Alex, walking towards her trunk. "Now come on, I don't want to miss the train," she said, picking up her trunk and dragging it across the stained hardware floor to the door. "Come on, mom!" she called back. 

"Well, you're certainly ready to go. Let me get my keys and then we'll go," Mrs. Mauro said, laughing.

"Hey, I thought I was driving!" Alex argued.

"Nope, sorry. I want to keep myself alive until you come back for Christmas, which won't happen if you crash before we even get to King's Cross," her mom teased. Alex blushed.

"Just because I've backed into the mailbox a couple of times and drove over the trash can once, both when I was just learning how to drive, does NOT mean that I'm going to crash!" Alex protested indignantly.

"Whatever, just get going, we're going to be late!" Mrs. Mauro said, taking her keys off a hook in the wall.

"Somebody's stressed…" Alex muttered to herself, walking out the door.

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Alex and her mother walked through King's Cross Station looking for Platform 9 ¾, the platform that Alex's ticket showed on it. They stopped between platforms 9 and 10 and looked in the middle. All there was was a strong-looking brick barrier.

_I wonder…_Alex thought as she studied the barrier as well as she could from 10 feet away. She walked forward.

"Alex, where are you going?" her mom called after her. Alex ignored her and pressed her hand to the barrier. It went through as if there were no barrier at all. She couldn't help gasping, though she had been expecting it, or something like it. A voice from behind her made her turn, startled. 

What are you doing?" a girl with bushy brown hair asked sharply.

(A/N: I was tempted to stop it right here… but as right now, without the first author's note, it's only 732 words long, including the page break… and I need it to be a lot longer than the last chapter, which was pitifully short… I'll try not to make any of them that short again – I had just thought it had been a good place to stop, when Alex was asleep.)

"Why do you want to know?" Alex shot back.

"Have you ever heard of Albus Dumbledore?" the girl countered. Alex thought back. The name sounded familiar… but she didn't know where she had heard it. She toyed with the ticket in her pocket. All at once, the name made sense.

"Yes, I have," Alex answered with certainty.

"Good. Then, are you looking for the platform? It's through there," the brunette witch said, gesturing through the barrier.

"Cool! I can walk through solid things!" Alex exclaimed lightly. The other witch laughed. "Mom, I found the platform!" Alex called back to her mom, who had been watching the exchange between the two girls. She hurried over. "Oh, and my name is Alex Mauro, in case you were wondering."

"So do we just walk through?" Mrs. Mauro asked the witch. The witch nodded.

"Here, I'll go first. My name's Hermione Granger, by the way," the brunette added as she walked forward towards the barrier. Alex and Mrs. Mauro did a double take when Hermione mentioned her last name.

"Well, that answers our question," Alex said to her mother.

Alex then walked straight at the barrier. She knew she would go through the barrier, as her hand had, but it was still unnerving to be walking into a seemingly solid brick wall. She shut her eyes because it was too weird to be seeing, although she was curious as to what the inside of the barrier looked like. When she thought she had gotten to the other side, she opened her eyes. She gasped. There was a magnificent scarlet steam engine billowing steam on a track on one side of the platform. The rest was filled up with people, students saying their goodbyes and getting on the train and their families saying goodbye and waving. Alex jumped out of the was as her mum also walked though the barrier and had the same reaction Alex had had. 

"Well, it's already 10:55, I should get on the train," Alex said wistfully. She had never really been separated from her mom for a long time before, just for things like sleepovers with Mi. She pulled her mom into a tight hug. When they pulled away, Mrs. Mauro had tears glistening on her cheeks.

"Oh Alex, it seems like yesterday that you were so scared to go to kindergarten, even though Mi was going with you. And now you're all grown up, a big 16-year-old, and going off to a boarding school, really. I'll miss you, Alex," her mum said, reminiscing. Alex laughed and waved as she walked towards the train. She was used to her mom saying things like that, as Mrs. Mauro tended to get a little bit emotional sometimes. 

"Bye, Mum!" Alex called over her shoulder.

"Bye, Honey!" her mum called back. 

Alex climbed on the train through a door (duh). She rolled her trunk on the handy wheels that the manufacturers put on. She went to every compartment but they were all full. Finally, she came across a compartment that Hermione was in. It wasn't full, though there were other people in it.

"Hermione, is there any room here? All the other compartments are full," Alex asked nervously.

"Sure, sit down!" Hermione answered. "This is Alex Mauro, I met her near the entrance to the platform. Alex, this is Harry Potter," pointing to a boy with messy black hair, bright green eyes, and glasses, "This is Ron Weasley," gesturing towards a tall boy with bright red hair and freckles, "This is Ginny Weasley," pointing to a girl with the same bright red hair as Ron, only down to her waist, "This is Neville Longbottom," pointing to a rather chubby boy with dark hair, clutching his toad, "And this is Luna Lovegood," gesturing towards a girl with long blond hair like Alex and a dreamy look in her eyes. 

"Nice to meet you," Alex said, heaving her trunk up to the overhead bin (or wherever they put their luggage, I've never even been on a train before). She took a seat in between Hermione and Ginny. 

"So Alex, what year will you be in?" "I've never seen you before, are you a foreign exchange student?" questions bombarded Alex from all sides, mostly from Harry and Ron.

"I'll be in sixth year, no I'm not a foreign exchange student, it's a long story as to why I haven't been at Hogwarts before. Let's just say that I got my letter when I was 11 like all of you and couldn't go," Alex answered. "What years will all of you be in?" she asked, hoping to get the topic off herself.

"We'll all be in sixth year too, except for Ginny and Luna, they're in fifth year," Hermione answered.

"Cool. So what should we do?" Alex asked as the train lurched forward and began to move. "How long is this train ride, anyway?" she asked.

"Well, it usually lasts about 7 or 8 hours," Neville spoke up for the first time.

"Thanks," Alex told him, and went to her trunk to pull out a book. She sat back down and began to read.

"What book is that?" Hermione asked. Alex showed her the cover. "Violet Eyes, by Nicole Luiken," Hermione read off. "Is it good?"

"Mmm hmmm," Alex answered, her eyes on the book.

After a while Harry asked, "Does anyone want to play a game of Exploding Snap?" This was followed by a chorus of "yes" from the people in the compartment.

"How do you play?" Alex wanted to know. Everybody looked at her in disbelief.

"You don't know how to play? Oh, I forgot you haven't been at wizarding school, this is how you play…" Harry explained how to play to Alex. She agreed to play, and they played until the snack cart lady came. Harry bought some of everything, and they all shared the candy. 

"What else can we play?" Ron wondered, "I'm kinda bored of Exploding Snap."

"I have an idea," Alex volunteered. Everybody looked at her in surprise, she had been very quiet this whole train ride. "We could play Truth or Dare or Kiss and Tell. My friends and me back home, we always used to play it every time we got some free time. It was really fun…"

"Sure, I'll play," Hermione agreed. "Is anyone else going to play, or are we going to have to play with only two people?" she asked, looking around the compartment. Everyone agreed, and they all settled in a circle.

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A/N: How was that chapter? I wrote it mostly during school and got yelled at regularly by teacher for not paying attention o_0 But anyway, this is typed up at like 11 pm and I've been awake since 6, so I'm tired. But I'll try and get the next chapter up probably tomorrow. Next chapter: Truth or Dare or Kiss and Tell. Chapter after that: The Sorting, the Feast, and the Dormitories. Again people, please review!!!!


	3. AN: Sorry for the lack of updates!

OK, I'm really really really sorry about the long wait. If you haven't read my profile, here's why: my teachers are *really* piling on the homework now. I mean, tonight alone I have a science lab; an English essay; 40 math problems from Algebra, a 40-page packet on the Control Theory, something I don't even believe in; a book report with a packet at least as thick as the Control Theory one, due Friday (it's Wednesday night at about 9:50 P.M. right now); a 14-page packet, not including cover page, table of contents, etc., on landforms in Social Studies; and a worksheet in French (OK, the French is easy but the rest isn't). And tonight's a good night. I do homework from 3 P.M. until about 11:30 P.M. The only thing really keeping me going is FanFics (I've been bumped off my computer for reading them while I was supposed to be doing my homework so many times, I've lost count) and the Beatles! I kidnapped (album-napped?) about 14 albums from my parents and have been playing them (I think the song "I'm Only Sleeping" relates to me… I'm listening to it right now, actually… #3 on Revolver) in succession. So all day during school I have songs stuck in my head, as I have my alarm clock wake me up to songs. But I digress.

Pretty much I'm writing this to let you know that I haven't lost interest in this story, I just have *no* time for writing. I haven't even practiced my violin in like a week. I just have no time. So if you get anything, it'll likely be a short chapter. Just so you know.

Thanks for your patience!

I realized that I don't have disclaimers in my other chapters. I totally forgot. I'm really sorry about it and don't sue me! *hides behind a mouse* Here it is: I don't own Harry Potter. Or his friends. The only people I own so far are Alex and her mom. So don't sue!

Just so you know, this Author's Note is in my other story too, I'm too lazy to come up with a whole new one, and also I don't have time.

Oh, and I might as well respond to reviewers here. Even though I only have 2 to answer to.

Jessie- LOL thanks for the review! This is one of my best friends everyone, I'd be very disappointed if she didn't review. And if anybody else even reads these things, could you help us with a problem? Jess wants to get an account on here, but she's tried multiple times and I've tried once, and the verification email isn't coming. And the email addresses are from AOL and our school ones, not the ones that won't accept emails from FanFiction.net. Can anybody help us? Thanks in advance!

Dres Elles- Yay! My favorite authors! Well, only one of you read my story probably, but that's OK. Um… for the rest of the answers, read my answer in my other story and my review of your stories. 


	4. Truth or Dare or Kiss and Tell

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Disclaimer: I DO NOT, or WILL NOT ever own Harry Potter. Unfortunately, it would be quite nice to. But I don't. So don't sue!

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A/N: Sorry for the long wait, I've been really really really busy, as I'm sure you know, as you've read my Author's Note in the last chapter. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon, although it's not likely that I'll be doing it this week. Maybe on the weekend. Also, I still need a beta! If you'd like to be my beta, please leave a review or email me at sunmono12790@yahoo.com or AIM me at either sunmono, synchroswymmer, or avrilfan09721. I also need ideas, I've come up with a mild case of writer's block, and the plot bunnies are attacking me, I came up with ideas like, "What Umbridge REALLY Wrote On Her Clipboard" and other horrendous stories (I'm not saying that all stories like that are bad, just ones by me, I'm not funny). And this chapter isn't funny, although I like Harry's little speech. It took me a while. Now on with the story!

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"Hermione told us how to play Truth or Dare, but what's the Kiss and Tell part?" Harry asked Alex.

"Well, that's the fun part. You can either do the dare, or tell your Truth, or you have to kiss a person that the other person who either dared you or asked you the question decides," Alex explained. 

"But what if you don't like the person that the other person decided for you?" Ron questioned.

"Then you do what they told you to do or answer," Alex answered. "Does everybody get that?"

Everybody nodded.

"I'll go first," Alex said. "Hermione, truth or dare?" she asked.

Hermione looked shocked at being asked first. "Dare," she said.

Alex thought for a minute, staring at Hermione. "Alright, I dare you to kiss Ron," she decided.

Hermione hesitated for a second, then pulled Ron close and kissed him on the lips. Ron looked surprised but kissed back. They lingered for a minute with what looked like a little bit of tongue, then broke apart, both blushing furiously. Everybody laughed.

"OK, my turn," Hermione said, anxious to get the attention off her and Ron. "Neville, truth or dare?"

"Truth," Neville said, not wanting to kiss anybody. 

Hermione got a devilish grin on her face. Neville gulped. "Why are you so afraid of Professor Snape? I mean, sure he picks on you, but he does the same with Harry and almost everyone else in Gryffindor. And they're not scared of him, only resentful. So why are you so scared?" Hermione asked.

"Who do I have to kiss?" inquired Neville weakly.

Hermione looked around the room. "Luna," she said.

Neville looked doubtful, but walked over to where Luna was sitting and gave her a peck on the cheek. Without a word, he walked back to his place in the circle and sat down. Luna giggled.

"Harry, truth or dare?" Neville asked. 

Harry thought about it. "Dare," he said.

Neville thought and thought, but couldn't come up with a dare that would put Harry though the embarrassment that he had to go through. Finally, Ron got tired of waiting and whispered a suggestion in Neville's ear.

"Don't you think that's a bit… harsh?" Neville asked.

"Nah, don't worry about it. Who cares?" Ron explained.

"Well, OK then. Harry, I dare you to ask out Pansy Parkinson… in front of Malfoy!" Neville dared Harry. Harry gulped. It was well known that Malfoy had a crush on Pansy, and vice versa. (A/N: Just pretend, OK?).

"Fine. But I'm blaming Ron if anything happens to me," Harry said. 

Neville and Ron agreed and they all trooped out of the compartment to see Harry do his dare. They went to every compartment in search of Malfoy and his gang of friends who, they were sure, would be in the same compartment. 

Finally, they found it. They peeked in, but Malfoy wasn't there.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here," came a cold, slow drawl from behind them. They all turned around, although they knew who it was. "It's Potty, the Weasel, the baby Weasel, the Mudblood, Longbottom, the Loony, and somebody else, who I suspect is a Mudblood also," Malfoy sneered.

"Harry," Hermione hissed in his ear, "You should go now, while he's paying attention. We'll get him to see you."

Harry gulped a few times to work up his courage. He then walked into the compartment. He could hear Hermione talking behind him.

"Malfoy, I'm a prefect again. Do you really want a detention before school starts?" Hermione taunted.

"I'll have you know, Granger, that I am also a prefect," Malfoy drawled. Then Harry heard Alex speak up.

"Ohmigod Hermione, look at what Harry's doing!" she exclaimed, giving Harry the cue to ask Pansy the question. Malfoy turned his head and watched Harry though narrowed eyes. Harry walked over to Pansy and recited the speech that he had been thinking of since he agreed to the dare.

"Pansy, we've known each other for a long time. Since the first day on the train, I felt it. I was only 11 years old, of course, so I didn't know what it was. In third year, when Malfoy got hurt and you were worried about him, I felt it to. I wanted to be on the receiving end of that worry. Of course, I would never want to make you worried. Every time I see you, my heart flips over. Pansy Parkinson, will you go out with me and be my girlfriend?" he asked, gesturing theatrically. The compartment was filled with a stunned silence, except for the six friends by the compartment door, who were trying to stifle their laughter and failing miserably. The look on Malfoy's face was priceless. He had an interesting combination of a surprised look and murderous expression on his face. Finally, Pansy broke the silence.

"Ew, get away from me, Potter!" she shrieked. "I wouldn't go out with you if somebody offered me a million galleons AND you were the last male in the universe! Now get OUT of MY compartment!"

Harry faked a hurt expression. "I didn't know you felt that way about me, Pansy," he sniffed. Just then, Draco came out of his petrified state, grabbed Harry, and threw him out of the compartment, slamming the door behind him. Harry picked himself and the group walked back to their compartment. As soon as they were safely in the compartment, Harry cracked up. The sight of him laughing so hard set all the rest of them off. They laughed until they were all laughed out. 

"Does anyone really want to keep playing?" Hermione asked. "That last dare was kind of a grand finale, if you ask me."

All the others agreed to stop, some with ecstasy that they didn't have to go, like Ginny, and others with reluctance, like Alex. The compartment remained quiet until they got to the castle, with Hermione and Alex reading books, the guys talking quietly about Quiddich, Ginny listening quietly to the boys and occasionally adding her opinion, and Luna reading the Quibbler. When they got off of the train, Alex clung on to Hermione's arm.

"Mione, where do I go?" she asked.

"Oh, you need to get sorted. Come with me," Hermione answered. They walked over to a middle-aged looking woman. Alex got the feeling that the woman was not someone to make mad. 

"Professor McGonagall, this is Alex Mauro. She just got here this year, and she needs to get sorted," Hermione told the woman, who was evidently Professor McGonagall.

"Ah, Miss Mauro. Come this way," Professor McGonagall said, gesturing for Alex to follow. Alex said goodbye to Hermione and followed the professor into the huge doors of the castle.

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A/N: How was it? I'm sorry it took so long to update, I've been so busy. Oh, and I'm handing out small cameo parts. If you'd like a cameo part, just leave me a review and leave your name/pseudonym and an optional description of how you would like your character to look. Please review!


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